Short answer: the Edifier Airpulse A100 for better sound quality, the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII for the lower price. The Edifier Airpulse A100 ranks #17 of 48 powered bookshelf speakers at $999.99. The IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII ranks #20 at $799.99, $200 cheaper.
What the Edifier Airpulse A100 gets right: Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter (inherited from Airpulse’s flagship 7001 monitor, designed by Phil Jones) paired with a 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer - a distinctive, low-mass driver combination rarely seen below $1,000. Watch for: On-axis deviation trails the pricier options in this group, and there’s no app-based EQ or DSP - bass/treble trim is limited to physical rear-panel knobs not reachable from the remote.
On the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII side: Compact MTM layout (two 3.5” midwoofers flanking a 1” tweeter) powered monitor rated at 100W per speaker with XLR input, sold as a pair with an ARC room-correction microphone included. Set against that: Native treble tuning still runs about 3dB hot on-axis; the back-panel -3dB treble switch overcorrects, and roughly -1.5dB via external EQ works better.
Buy the Edifier Airpulse A100 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Edifier Airpulse A100 | IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $999.99 | $799.99 |
| Ranked | #17 of 48 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #20 of 48 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) | 46.3Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) | 52.7Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Inputs | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX | XLR |
| Drivers | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5" hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer | 2x 3.5" (89mm) woofers, 1" silk dome tweeter |
| App | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) | Yes (X-MONITOR speaker emulation) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (SBC, aptX) | No |
| EQ | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Weight | 24.3 lbs / 11 kg (24.2 lb) each | 5.5 lbs / 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) each |
| Output Power | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) | 100w Per Speaker |
| Dimensions | 6.3" x 11.1" x 10" (160 x 283 x 255 mm) (6.3 x 11.1 x 10.0 in) each | 10.4"H x 5.1"W x 6.3"D (264.2 x 129.5 x 160 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz | 48 Hz - 28 kHz (±2dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Max SPL | - | 112.5dB peak |
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- Edifier Airpulse A100 vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
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The Two Speakers In Full
Edifier Airpulse A100: $999.99 B&H Photo Airpulse
Pros: Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter (inherited from Airpulse’s flagship 7001 monitor, designed by Phil Jones) paired with a 5” hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer - a distinctive, low-mass driver combination rarely seen below $1,000. Directivity spread is the widest and most controlled of this batch (directivity_spdi_stddev 4.26). A full input set for a desktop system: RCA, USB, optical, coaxial, and Bluetooth, plus a dedicated subwoofer output and an included IR remote.
Cons: On-axis deviation (aad_on_axis 0.498) trails the pricier options in this group, and there’s no app-based EQ or DSP - bass/treble trim is limited to physical rear-panel knobs not reachable from the remote. The compact 5” woofer caps sub-bass extension at 63.0Hz (-3dB) / 53.2Hz (-10dB), the second-shallowest in this batch, effectively expecting an external subwoofer for full-range use. No Wi-Fi streaming (AirPlay/Chromecast) - Bluetooth only.
Full Edifier Airpulse A100 review and specifications →
| App | None (physical bass/treble knobs, IR remote) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bluetooth | Yes (SBC, aptX) |
| Dimensions | 6.3" x 11.1" x 10" (160 x 283 x 255 mm) (6.3 x 11.1 x 10.0 in) each |
| Drivers | Horn-loaded ribbon tweeter, 5" hard-anodized aluminum cone woofer |
| EQ | Yes, rear-panel bass/treble trim knobs |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 40kHz |
| Inputs | RCA (aux), USB, optical, coaxial, Bluetooth aptX |
| Output Power | 100W total (40W+40W woofer, 10W+10W tweeter) |
| Weight | 24.3 lbs / 11 kg (24.2 lb) each |
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IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII: $799.99 Amazon
Pros: Compact MTM layout (two 3.5” midwoofers flanking a 1” tweeter) powered monitor rated at 100W per speaker with XLR input, sold as a pair with an ARC room-correction microphone included. Well-suited to nearfield desktop use, with linearity good enough for mixing or mastering. The bundled auto room-correction mic is genuinely effective - in testing it resolved specific room resonance peaks around 150Hz and 220Hz, making the midrange sound noticeably more lifelike. Back-panel switches allow desktop vs. free-field placement plus treble and bass trim. Harmonic distortion is good at a moderate 86dB output, appropriate for a speaker of this size.
Cons: Native treble tuning still runs about 3dB hot on-axis; the back-panel -3dB treble switch overcorrects, and roughly -1.5dB via external EQ works better. Vertical MTM lobing means staying within about 20-25° of the tweeter axis, or the upper-midrange to treble transition suffers significant suckout - the speaker should never be laid on its side unless the tweeter is pointed directly at the listener, or comb filtering results. Bass falls off sharply below its F3 of 51Hz (F10 45Hz), so a subwoofer is needed for anything lower. Multitone distortion rises sharply at 96dB/1m, and the reviewer recommends not exceeding about 86dB for extended listening at any distance - broadband output for the pair tops out around 94dB at 1 meter, with dynamic range essentially collapsing approaching 102dB. Horizontal directivity narrows with frequency rather than staying constant. Adding a subwoofer with an 80Hz crossover doesn’t meaningfully improve the distortion headroom, even though it does extend the low end.
Full IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII review and specifications →
| App | Yes (X-MONITOR speaker emulation) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 46.3Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 52.7Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Dimensions | 10.4"H x 5.1"W x 6.3"D (264.2 x 129.5 x 160 mm) |
| Drivers | 2x 3.5" (89mm) woofers, 1" silk dome tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 48 Hz - 28 kHz (±2dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR |
| Max SPL | 112.5dB peak |
| Output Power | 100w Per Speaker |
| Weight | 5.5 lbs / 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) each |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- IK Multimedia iLoud MTM MKII vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
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